This article brings up a discussion which needs to be had; the structure of research labs, particularly in the life sciences, is not functioning in its current state. There are many postdocs who cannot progress as there are no permanent research staff positions. Additionally, labs often want to take on cheap workers which would mean taking on a new inexperienced graduate student rather that creating a postdoc position or offering an existing postdoc a full time position. I voted in the poll in the article on how the situation could be amended and selected the option to create more staff scientist positions. After voting the other votes were revealed and 76% of voters responded in the same way. I think the answer to improving jobs in academia is therefore right in front of us.

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Whereas about 65% of US PhD-holders continue into a postdoc, only 15–20% of those move into tenure-track academic posts. The European situation is even more competitive — in the United Kingdom, for example, about 3.5% of science doctorates become permanent research staff at universities.